在古代，民间在重阳有登高的风俗，故重阳节又叫“登高节”。相传此风俗始于东汉。唐代文人所写的登高诗很多，大多是写重阳节的习俗；杜甫的七律《登高》，就是写重阳登高的名篇。登高所到之处，没有划一的规定，一般是登高山、登高塔。
在这一天，人们还有吃“重阳糕”的习俗。在汉语里，“糕”与“高”同音，”，人们会用“吃糕”代替“登高”，祝愿百事俱高。重阳糕又称花糕、菊糕、五色糕，制无定法，较为随意。的有九层，像一个塔。
重阳节正是一年的金秋时节，菊花盛开，民间还把农历九月称为“菊月”，在菊花傲霜怒放的重阳节里，观赏菊花成了节日的一项重要内容，当然，人们也会喝一些菊花酒。女人会把茱萸插在头上或挂在门口，可以避难消灾。
今天的重阳节，被赋予了新的含义，在1989年，我国把每年的九月九日定为老人节，传统与现代巧妙地结合，成为尊老、敬老、爱老、助老的老年人的节日。全国各机关、团体、街道，往往都在此时组织从工作岗位上退下来的老人们秋游赏景，或临水玩乐，或登山健体，让身心都沐浴在大自然的怀抱里；不少家庭的晚辈也会搀扶着年老的长辈到郊外活动或为老人准备一些可口的饮食。
double ninth festival
the 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional chongyang festival, or double ninth festival. it usually falls in october in the gregorian calendar. in an ancient and mysterious book yi jing, or the book of changes, number 6 was thought to be of yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number 9 was thought to be yang, meaning masculine or positive. so the number nine in both month and day create the double ninth festival, or chongyang festival. chong in chinese means double. also, as double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify forever, both are jiu jiu, the chinese ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration. that's why ancient chinese began to celebrate this festival long time ago.
the custom of ascending a height to avoid epidemics was passed down from long time ago. therefore, the double ninth festival is also called height ascending festival. the height people will reach is usually a mountain or a tower. ancient literary figures have left many poems depicting the activity. even today, people still swarm to famous or little known mountains on this day.
on this day, people will eat double ninth gao (or cake). in chinese, gao (cake) has the same pronunciation with gao (height). people do so just to hope progress in everything they are engaged in. there is no fixed ways for the double ninth cake, but super cakes will have as many as nine layers, looking like a tower.
the double ninth festival is also a time when chrysanthemum blooms. china boasts persified species of chrysanthemum and people have loved them since ancient times. so enjoying the flourishing chrysanthemum also becomes a key activity on this festival. also, people will drink chrysanthemum wine. women used to stick such a flower into their hair or hang its branches on windows or doors to avoid evilness.
in 1989, the chinese government decided the double ninth festival as seniors' day. since then, all government units, organizations and streets communities will organize an autumn trip each year for those who have retired from their posts. at the waterside or on the mountains, the seniors will find themselves merged into nature. younger generations will bring elder ones to suburban areas or send gifts to them on this day.
